Coca-Cola electric trucks arrive in Luxembourg

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) can guarantee that from this point forward deliveries to its customers in Belgium and Luxembourg will be carried down to last mile by 100 % electric Renault Trucks. The Belgium-based bottler has ordered 30 Renault E-Tech D and D Wide Trucks, in a move that makes 20% of its fleet electric.

The first five vehicles were delivered to Coca-Cola in late 2022 and have been assigned to routes in the Antwerp region. Now, there are three electric trucks joining the fleet, this time in Luxembourg. In the coming months, more vehicles will be added at the production and distribution sites in Ghent and Chaudfontaine in Belgium.

From today, the first three electric Renault E-tech D and D Wide Trucks arrive to boost Coca-Cola’s fleet in Luxembourg.  “Most of our deliveries are focused in very localised areas, to supermarkets and businesses close to our sites, with average routes of 150 km a day”, explains An Vermeulen, VP & Country Director of Coca-Cola Europacific Partners for Belgium and Luxembourg. “This means we are perfectly positioned to deliver the transition to electric vehicles, which entails a total investment of around 7 million Euros in Belgium and Luxembourg. This fits into our long term aim to continue focusing on sustainable, local operations in Luxembourg. " 

Optimising local routes

The configuration that Coca-Cola has chosen for its electric Renault Trucks means that the vehicles can cover around 200 km each day. This will largely be sufficient to cover approximately 80 % of the current delivery routes out of the Howald site in Luxembourg. Each truck will have a charging point on the site, so that the battery can be fully recharged overnight. These charging points are supplied exclusively with 100% green energy.

Coca-Cola has worked in close partnership with Renault Trucks to find the vehicles that are the best fit and can deliver optimum charging conditions for this specific local usage: “We performed an in-depth analysis of supply chain data from Coca-Cola, and then developed realistic simulations of the routes and tested them under real-world conditions, taking into account energy consumption, but also driver comfort and safety”, explains Sigfried Van Brabandt, director general of Renault Trucks Belgium and Luxembourg. “The trucks are also equipped with a 360° camera system to avoid blind spots, a loudspeaker to alert pedestrians and cyclists, and the door on the passenger side is partially fitted with glass for optimum visibility. "

These three electric trucks are only the first step for CCEP in Luxembourg. “We will proceed with decarbonization step by step until 2030, by continuing to study market developments in order to define the future of our fleet, taking into account factors such as the longest distances to cover, vehicle range and heavier loads”, An Vermeulen concludes.